Well, the secret is out on the Wildcats’ sports performance coaches — especially Alex Spanos.

During Saturday’s romp over Minnesota at wind-whipped Ryan Field, Big Ten Network cameras kept delivering two types of images: suffering, bundled-up fans and Spanos, bouncing around like a kid at an amusement park on the last day of school.

Play-by-play man Brandon Gaudin: “What does he have for breakfast that gives him that energy?”

Analyst Glen Mason: “He’s got the moves.”

Gaudin: “It’s his party.”

Spanos also made the lead of David Haugh’s Tribune column, and a tweet by ESPN’s Darren Rovell — “As Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald & DC Mike Hankwitz are bundled up for the snow, strength coach Alex Spanos in a smedium short sleeve” — got more than 2,400 likes and retweets.

And Johnna Mitich tweeted to her 5,000 followers: “Alex Spanos uses pepper spray to season his meat #ExtraMedium” and “Dolphins pay to swim with Alex Spanos #ExtraMedium.”

Sufficiently intrigued? Here are 10 things to know about Spanos:

1. It’s not an act. Sprinting out of the tunnel for warmups on a frigid day in shorts? Chest-bumping players as they leave the locker room? Dancing with them before kickoff? “That’s who he is all the time,” NU offensive lineman Tom Doles said. “There’s a fire inside of him.”

Spanos’ boss and Northwestern’s director of football performance, Jay Hooten, put it like this: “If people are here (in the weight room) early in the morning in January when it’s negative-10 degrees outside, they’ll see the exact same guy. I’ve had other strength coaches text me: ‘Your guy’s out of control.’ I’m like: ‘He’s out of control from January through December.’ ”

2. He wears a large. It looks like a “smedium” on Spanos, who is 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds. The man is absolutely ripped but not obsessed with his guns and glutes. Asked for the size of his biceps, he replied, “No idea” and “Not big enough — can always get bigger.”

3. He played college football. Spanos lined up at nose tackle, rush end and fullback at Maine South, which went 28-0 with two state titles during his final two seasons, 2008-09. He aimed to play college ball but didn’t have the grades, so he enrolled at Oakton Community College while working in a warehouse, coaching Pop Warner and training to be a firefighter. He played a year at Harper College before suiting up at linebacker for Robert Morris University.

“Taking classes in the Loop, taking a train to Arlington Heights and back every day, then taking a Pace bus back to Wrigley to my apartment,” he said. “Long days, but I would not trade them for the world because of what I learned and the relationships I built.”

4. He is single. He is 25, lives in River North and does not have a girlfriend. But, ladies, before you check out his Facebook page, consider this status: “I'm very focused on developing into the best coach I can.” He works about 80 hours a week.

5. His typical day begins with a 4:30 wake-up. He jumps in a cold shower, likes to blast music (though is considerate of his roommate), “slams” a protein shake and drives to Evanston. Hooten is typically already in the weight room — “an hour into his workout,” Spanos marveled.

His breakfast fuel? As much as 40 grams of protein, which he gets from six whole eggs, Greek yogurt, bacon, lean sausage and the cheese and vegetables the NU chefs put in omelets.

6. He’s a team player. Spanos requested to be interviewed alongside Hooten, whom he called “the most relentless, passionate boss I’ve ever had in my life.” Spanos also frequently mentioned his strength-and-conditioning colleagues and called Fitzgerald “the most energetic guy in the game.”

7. His bare arms probably do get cold. When Fitzgerald saw him Saturday, the coach busted on him, saying: “You’re an idiot. Put some clothes on, man.” (Fitzgerald added that he’s not “tough enough” to go sleeveless on a nasty weather day.)

Spanos wears a polo with cut-off sleeves on frigid days for this reason: “If I’m warm and comfortable, I might not be on point. I have to be engaged in the game and keep the sideline enthusiastic and passionate. If I’m wearing something uncomfortable, I’m always on my toes.”

8. The players dig him. Said linebacker Nate Hall: “His energy is contagious, and we love him to death.” Former NU safety and current Texans special-teams ace Brian Peters texted: “Great guy. Anybody that cuts off the sleeves to a collared polo shirt is an alpha in my book.”

Browns fullback Danny Vitale tweeted: “I wish the whole world could know how much of a legend Alex Spanos is! Single-handedly made early-morning lifts amazing.”

9. His work ethic comes from his parents. “They came here from the motherland (Greece) with nothing,” Spanos said of Nancy and Peter. “They have so much passion for everything they do. My brother (Terry) and I are waking up slowly on a Sunday morning, and my mother is out shoveling the driveway — even when it’s still snowing.”

10. He has a scar on his nose — and no regrets. Matt Alviti, the NU backup quarterback and fellow Maine South alumnus, head-butted Spanos last month while wearing a helmet. (The goal was a chest bump, but Alviti missed.)